What is Minimalism?
What is minimalism? It seems like such a catchphrase right now. It’s a lifestyle, a decorating style, a meal planning approach, but what is it, exactly?
The short answer is that it depends on who you ask. It also depends on your personal inclinations and beliefs.
There are varying definitions of what minimalism actually is. There are some that say you should only have two shoes or these many shirts, or that everything should fit in a backpack. I don’t know about you, but that does not work for me or my life, especially with kids.
The one thing almost all minimalists agree on is that minimalism is the process of getting rid of the excess in your life. By getting rid of the stuff, you have more space in your mind for experiences, relationships, and ideas.
I feel that every item you own takes something out of you. Things take time to own. They take up space in your home and time from your life. It takes seconds and minutes of your life to maintain things you really don’t need. Just one or two things you don’t need, fine, but what about a house full of things that all take your time and energy? Wouldn’t you rather spend those precious seconds with your kids, spouse, or family? We all need things to live comfortably, but do we really need everything we have? No. Not really. We really don’t need two hand mixers and a countertop mixer. We really don’t need all the things that occupy our homes.
“Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.” – Joshua Becker
This beautifully describes minimalism and what it is all about. My not-so-graceful take on it is this, get rid of your crap so that you can focus on the relationships and experiences around you. As a result, my life, goals, and purpose are so much clearer now. I am enjoying being a mom and have way more time to play with my kids. I want to live a life full of wonder and abundance. Minimalism is my ticket on that train.
Is it scary to get rid of all that stuff? Isn’t it wasteful?
“You wasted money when you bought something you didn’t need, not when you got rid of it!”-Allie Casazza
She is right. We have all wasted money on something in an effort to fill some other void in our lives. The truth is, no matter how much we buy, it will never soothe our souls. I really struggled to let go of some things in the beginning. It was uncomfortable and uneasy the first few loads to the donation center. I felt like I wasted so much money on these things. By letting them go, I was allowing my unused things to bless someone else.
My most memorable trip to donate was when I stuffed the back of my husband’s suburban FULL of bags. Like overflowing, cannot cram one more shoebox in the back, kind of full. My anxiety was so high when I dropped them all off, but by the time I was out of the parking lot, I had this peace and ease wash over me. I finally let go of all the physical things that were keeping me from being the person I wanted to be. I also let go of all the reasons I didn’t have time to play with my kids. No more excuses.
Just like that, I knew this life is the life I was meant to have. I wasted a lot of time by not being really honest with myself during the initial purges. But what if I neeeed it? I will just keep this one thing, oh, and this thing too! Purging my home has taken several purges in each area to get myself to our version of minimal. Looking back, I should have trusted my first gut feeling on every item. The ones I wavered on festered in my mind and I spent too much time thinking about them and ended up getting rid of them anyway.
The bottom line is that minimalism is what works for you, right now, in your current season of life. It will not look the same for you as it does for me, or anyone else. I may have less in some areas and more in others than you would. Do NOT say, oh, well, I can’t do that. Yes, you can. It is not about the number of items that you have. It is about if you use it, do you love it, would you replace it if the item broke tomorrow?
My kitchen is not very minimal, but, you know what, I love to cook and bake. I use everything in my kitchen on a regular basis and I love what I have. I would replace it if it broke. It is minimal for ME. Don’t get caught up in the numbers, that starts a vicious cycle of counting and comparison that you don’t need, friend. Look at your possessions and make sure they are adding value to your life, not sucking it from you.
For me, minimalism is eliminating the excess so that my focus remains on my kids, my family, and the pursuits that are meaningful to me. Minimalism makes me a better person because I am more charitable, I have more time for others, and I don’t get as caught up in the day to day that I forget to have FUN! I also think it makes my kids more creative, loving and self-aware.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Minimalism is also in the eye of the beholder. What will your pursuit of less look like? What will you do with your extra time? Let me know in the comments below or come to the Facebook group. Don’t forget to subscribe below!
